News of the Newport Avenue Commercial Area in Ocean Beach

This is the second part in a series on the changes, the projects and the comings-and-goings of businesses in the commercial areas and streets of Ocean Beach. More visual with photos than actual news, everything was taken on Wednesday, Jan. 25th. Yesterday, we covered Voltaire Street. Next, we’ll cover the Point Loma Avenue commercial area.

The Newport Avenue Commercial Area

Newport Ave in Ocean Beach is a tough street. Commercial rents are high and business endeavors are risky. There is a constant turnover in the storefronts that struggle to survive, while such long-term establishments like the OB Hardware Store and Newport Optometry maintain their vigilance. Antique stores are slimming down but beer pubs are expanding faster than one could imagine a decade ago.

Little Miss Brewery

The latest beer tasting room on Newport Ave is Little Miss, a taproom that is moving into the space where Smart Clips Salon and Parker’s gift shop used to be.

Checking on the status of OB’s latest beer pub, Little Miss, there wasn’t much to see.

The front windows of the former businesses each had a sign about their status. The salon has folded for good, while Parker’s has moved down the street, to 4919 Newport. Here are the signs:

Smart Clips Salon has closed permanently.

George Wolf and Rima Salloum, a husband and wife team, opened Smart Clips in May of 2011. They took over where the old Paladin Video stood.

ARCO Has Returned

The gas station that always had the cheapest gas has returned to the corner of Newport and Sunset Cliffs.

ARCO had been at the corner for years, but pulled out in the Spring of 2012 or so and was replaced by USA GAS. And now the subsidiary of British Petroleum is back. Seven years ago, there was a boycott of BP and ARCO for awhile due to their mishandling of the DeepWater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. There was even a protest at a nearby BP station on Sports Arena in 2010.

Changes at the OB Warehouse

As we have reported, changes are coming for the OB Warehouse. We said on Jan. 19th:

The OB Warehouse on Newport Ave in OB, part of the Cohn family’s Eatery Empire, is scheduled to close up business in mid-February.…

The OB Warehouse just opened in August of 2014 with a lot of fanfare and was much-heralded for its construction motif with award-winning restrooms. …Having replaced the ill-fated Portugalia restaurant, the OB Warehouse building went through an innovative and serious renovation.

OB Coffee Beans Still Roasting

We’ve been waiting for this storefront to open. We reported their presence on Newport last August 2016, but it doesn’t appear to have been much progression in the interior since then.

Inside the OB Bean.

Kilowatt Brewery Tasting Room

Another OB beer pub is about to open. It’s right on Bacon, just around on the other side of the tire store on Newport, where the former motorcycle shop hung its gears. What changes have come down since. Chris was on site at the Kilowatt and told me that they’re hoping by next weekend or next week to begin serving.

They are so close to opening that they held a “soft, soft” opening on the 21st for family and friends.

Inside the new Kilowatt beer pub.

A patio has been constructed on top of the old drive-way, with hand-crafted metal work.

Panel from mural on exterior.

Also, fantastic colors from the various murals jump out at the casual observer. Local artists, Chris told me.

Apple Tree Market Getting Readied

Every passerby on Newport checks in to the open doors of Apple Tree Market, trying to get a status update. Some take photos and post on social media.

We’re no different.

OB Pier Damaged

During the recent storms and high surf, the OB Pier suffered enough damage, that it warranted closure for several days. Lifeguards reported that the old wood-framed pier was damaged in 8 places.

Repair crews at work.

It is due to be reopened very soon. We miss it.

Lifeguard Station Public Restrooms Upgraded

OB has some of the best public restrooms at the beach – think the end of Brighton Ave on the sand; and some of the worst at the beach – think the main lifeguard station.

But thanks to city crews, there have been some needed upgrades to the women’s and men’s rooms – new sinks, toilets, new LED lights and a fresh paint job.

Women’s restroom at lifeguard station.

The OB Rag has been lobbying for significant upgrades to these public restrooms – the only public restrooms in the Newport Avenue commercial area (besides the Rec Center) – for quite a while. These are needed changes – and even more noteworthy – perhaps we must wait for a new lifeguard station altogether.

San Diego Free Press

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